Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

 



 

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Blessed This Day

GAME 34 REVIEW
CUBS 8, GIANTS 1 Recap | Box Score | Play-by-play | Game Chart | Photos
W: Carloz Zambrano (1-2) L: Matt Cain (1-5)
I didn't really catch much of the game, only the first few innings on XM radio. Jon Miller made it sound like the Cubs defense was a bit shaky(Jones error, Z didn't cover first base on a potential DP, Pierre let one over his head) but for once the bats were there to overcome. By all accounts Z looked good and we find out that when you go after Bonds, it is possible to get him out every so often. I thought Bonds was going to take his normal day off tomorrow as it's a day game following a night game but Alou said he'll play. It'll be up to Sean Marshall to try and win the series and keep Bonds from climbing a rung on the all-time home run ladder. Glad the losing streak is over, the dogs, AngelFan wife and kids are safe once again. Looking forward to starting a winning streak.

Comments

yea, blessed be this day indeed. a RALLY at LAST! (if you call it that). i can sleep easy at last, even if for just this night, knowing that the chicago cubs do win ballgames every once in a while. btw, i heard the 2 run double by JJ in the 6th wasnt so much him than it was the fielder. is this true?

what the hell does that 'W' graphic mean? is this a republican blog now?

Cubby re: #1 - JJ's double was a high chopper up the middle that carromed off the 2nd baseman's glove and died in CF -- it was definitely a hit even if the 2b comes up with it. Credit JJ with good baserunning/hustle on that one. Also re: the Cub's defense in general -- Mabry's D saved the day, some really good picks at 1B (Big Z also made a hell of catch while covering the 1B bag on an errant toss from Mabry). Giant hitters played pepper with Mabry about the whole game (good to see Z using that sinker effectively)

Crunch:what the hell does that 'W' graphic mean? is this a republican blog now? Best....comment.....ever.

I would like to add a comment about Hendry after this win. Until now I have been a Hendry supporter: I may have not agreed with all his moves but on the whole I think that he has been a great GM for the Cubs. However, I think right now is a critical point in his tenure, at least in how I view him. Derrek's Lee injury could actually be a blessing in disguise in the sense that it makes very evident that the Cubs need a righthanded platoon mate for Jacque Jones, who has been extremely good against righthanders and extremely bad against southpaws. I know most everybody here knew this before and commented on it and I agree that Hendry made a big mistake in not addressing this. He still has a chance to do it though. However, if he thinks that Conine or the like is the answer then I say he just doesn't get it. It's not time for a mediocre patch but for a splash. If he is looking to have a winning team that can win also in the playoffs he needs to understand that this is something the Cubs need to address, even if D-Lee never got injured. How he tackles this situation will be very telling in my book. Another dump&dump styletrade with the Orioles would certainly say a lot about him as a GM. We shall see. Luis

A couple of comments. First, for me, the skills as a broadcaster that Jon Miller has are completely overshadowed by his Barry worship. For me, that takes away a lot of his credibility as a broadcast journalist. I realize that there is a large audience in San Francisco does not want to hear him bashing Barry for taking steroids. But Jon is down the other end of the spectrum, just plain worshipping Barry, which is wrong. Every now and then Miller ought to acknowledge that the process of going for 714 is tainted. I mean, come on Miller, take the blinders off at least occasionally. As for signing another player to platoon with Jones, increasingly I think that is unlikely, at least this year. Look, the Trib already has basically completely sold Wrigley for the entire season. These guys are businessmen. They realize we basically have no chance of making it to the playoffs, even if we sign someone. So why would they spend more money this season when from a financial point of view they have absolutely nothing to gain?

Re: #2 Please tell me you're joking. :)

Pat Hughes after the Cubs scored 5 runs in the 6th inning last night: "We have now scored more runs in this one inning than in any of the previous eleven games."

I'm not surprised Bonds is playing today. It's clear they want him to tie/pass Ruth at home, otherwise he'll be booed mercilessly. I've heard Jon Miller talk about Bonds and Roids in an unflattering manner several times, but I completely understand why he doesn't do it every day and every time he's up to bat. If I were a Giants fan listening to the broadcast, I'd jump out of a window if I had to hear that every single time he was up to bat. Since Giants fans are his primary audience, it's understandable that he takes it easy on Bonds. And after all, the Giants are paying his salary. I'm sure they don't want to hear it all the time either, if at all.

As about the only woman on this site, I think you guys are all missing the most important point. As long as we continue to sell out Wrigley and support the Cubs, we continue to get an inferior product. A two week boycott of all Cub games would shake up the Tribune and bring corrective messures in the form of replacement of the front office. I know it won't happen but a girl can dream.

I attended last nights game vs the Giants and below are my rambling thoughts: Z had no command in the 1st inning, and was very close to letting the Giants take the momentum. The pivotal inning was the 2nd after he walked Frandsen and gave up the 2B to Matheny. He was able to get out of the inning without allowing a run to score and had a nice 3rd inning, follows by a shaky 4th. However, from the 5th onward, he looked like the Z of old. Mabry did nothing with the bat, but played an excellent 1st base and may have been the difference maker when Z was on the ropes, as I don't know if Walker would have made those plays at 1st last night. The Cubs made the most of their chances, but it didn't feel like they scored 8 runs, as Cain pitched extremely well (he was throwing strikes, vs Z who struggled with his command until the 5th), and only seemed to lose his focus after Pierre's ball hit him in the 6th. There is a form of hero worship that is going on with Barry at home. Each of his plate appearances required one to stand, if you wanted to follow the action. With each pitch, there were a sea of flashbulbs. Lots of Cub fans in SF last night, although we were fairly quiet as a group (from where I was sitting in the CF bleachers) Even with the win, let's not kid ourselves, as this is not a good team as it is currently configured. I expect that we will continue to struggle scoring runs. Team Audit Statistics: Chicago Cubs Hitters Player...........PA AVG OBP SLG SB CS VORP Michael Barrett..99 .287 .357 .529 0 0 8.5 Derrek Lee.......58 .318 .448 .614 5 2 7.7 Ronny Cedeno....126 .308 .331 .436 5 3 6.0 Todd Walker.....121 .302 .375 .415 0 0 5.7 Matt Murton.....122 .280 .369 .393 2 1 2.8 Jacque Jones....101 .269 .310 .505 0 1 1.2 Mike Restovich...13 .167 .231 .250 0 0 -1.2 Juan Pierre.....146 .239 .282 .306 11 1 -1.3 Aramis Ramirez..126 .216 .302 .432 1 1 -1.4 Angel Pagan......19 .263 .263 .316 0 1 -1.9 Jerry Hairston...56 .231 .273 .250 2 0 -2.2 Freddie Bynum....30 .172 .200 .241 2 0 -2.8 John Mabry.......38 .216 .237 .297 0 0 -3.0 Henry Blanco.....32 .074 .219 .074 0 0 -4.9 Neifi Perez......55 .189 .218 .226 0 0 -5.2

Sweet Suzy: We've heard that sentiment numerous times before. But it wouldn't make a difference because the tickets are already sold. Let's say the tomorrow's game starts and there's literally 0 fans in the stands. The attendance for the game would be about 30,000 or so because those tickets were sold the day tickets went on sale, also all the season ticket holders. Cubs fans talk about boycotting Wrigley- I call bullshit on that. Every year, the day the tickets go on sale they pretty much sell 2.5 million tickets (if you include season ticket holders). Very few tickets are ever sold day of game- they're either sold by brokers (who already bought them on day one) or scalped by TribCo to begin with. Even if Cubs fans could somehow make such a tactic have an impact, we don't bitch about it until May or June, or September when things are going downhill. If such a tactic was to work, it would have to be the day tickets go on sale. We sing the same song EVERY FRICKIN' YEAR- "don't buy tickets to send a message to TribCo"- bullshit. Don't pull that weak shit in May or July- do it the day tickets go on sale. But we won't- we don't have the balls.

So let me get this straight. First, Dusty Baker is the biggest problem with the Cubs. Second, Jim Hendry is provided $95 million payroll dollars to play with and our roster includes the likes of Jerry Hairston, Neifi Perez, John Mabry, Jacque Jones, Henry Blanco, Glendon Rusch, a lousy defensive infielder and clubhouse cancer(Todd Walker) and a brutal defensively catcher who is poor at working with pitchers (Michael Barrett). Meanwhile the Cub minor league system constructed and operated by Hendry continues to greatly disappoint. Ah, OK.

a brutal defensively catcher who is poor at working with pitchers (Michael Barrett). Barrett is not a brutal defensive catcher, though he is not good either. He is simply average. And what evidence do you have to show that he is poor working with pitchers?

Hey, I don't expect Jon Miller, the Giants' broadcaster to mention the steroids every time Barry comes up to bat. I am just saying he is a long, long way from doing that. For example, the other night, Sunday night, when Bonds hit a homer at Philly, Joe Morgan repeated at least two or three times that, hey, look, everyone is on their feet and giving Barry a standing ovation. That was not it at all. Just because people are standing does not mean they are cheering. Lots and lots of the people standing after the home run were booing Bonds. Perhaps in a situation like that Miller might just jump in and point out that actually a lot of the Philly fans who were standing were booing. He does not even need to mention the steroids. Just bring a dose of reality to the proceedings. I mean, I felt like I was watching Alice in Wonderland. It was just ridiculous. As for the boycott, I have said the same thing many times, it won't make any difference to the Tribune because the tickets are sold. And no matter what happens this year, even if the Cubs take last place, 30 games out, which is possible, people will clammer to get tickets on the day they go on sale next year, as though they are the golden tickets to get into Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory. I agree with those who have said that, until the Trib sells the Cubs and the new owner fires McPhail and fires Hendry, we are gonna get more of the same from this team.

It is statistical fact that Cub pitchers have performed better with either Paul Bako or Henry Blanco behind the plate during Michael Barrett's three seasons in Chicago. It is also statistical fact that Expo pitchers performed better when Brian Schneider or anybody else was behind the plate instead of Barrett during his tenure in Montreal. On top of his lousy work with pitchers, he also doesn't block the plate well and can't throw out baserunners. People are too hung up with his bat. I love Barrett's offense too, but the point is if we are a team supposedly built around pitching, then we better have a solid catcher behind the plate. The Cubs don't.

P.S. Note who was behind the plate during Carlos Zambrano's excellent performance. Answer is Henry Blanco, not Michael Barrett.

It is statistical fact that Cub pitchers have performed better with either Paul Bako or Henry Blanco behind the plate during Michael Barrett's three seasons in Chicago. Show me the stats. And not CERA, but a breakdown of CERA per pitcher. And I could care less about Barrett's numbers in Montreal. Anyone you talk to will say that Barrett has significantly improved his defense since then. Note who was behind the plate during Carlos Zambrano's excellent performance. Excellent performance? With five walks? Sure, I was happy with the result, and thought he pitched fairly well. But any time you walk five guys you dont have an excellent performance. And that is a meaningless fact anyway. Blanco almost always catches Zambrano. And who caught Z during his "excellent" performance against the Dodgers a couple of weeks ago? The answer is Barrett. And if you really want to play that game - who caught Marshall in his last two excellent starts? Answer is Michael Barrett, not Henry Blanco. Selective anticdotes prove little. Don't get me wrong. Barrett is not a great defensive catcher. But he is not "brutal" either. And CERA is a BS stat that shows little. Any stat like that needs to be broken down by pitcher and opponent, otherwise they are worthless. On top of that, to place the blame on a catcher for a pitcher making mistakes is foolish. Was it Barrett's fault that Maddux got hit hard in San Diego? And was Barrett responsibly for Maddux's success in his first few starts?

The key of last night's game way the way that Mabry played defense. He looked like a hockey goalie last night, and it was awesome. If you suck with the bat (Dougie Mencavevich) you'd better learn to play stellar D, and sure Mabry didn't get a hit last night, but he certainly played more than well enough to make up for it on the field.

Jon Miller is a baseball broadcaster. He is not a "broadcast journalist". Learn the difference.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.